Friday, December 31, 2004

It really flew by. More so, every year it seems. Highlights were our trip to Venice in the Spring( would have a photo here but Flickr has deleted most of them!) and holiday in London and Essex during the Summer. Discovering blogs and Flickr and re-discovering the mail art in the coal shed. Ones own upsets and calamities seem rather puny and insignificant when compared with current disasters and overwhelming tragedies in the Middle East and Far East. Lets hope for a better 2005.

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

Another from the travelling exhibtion "The Silent Scene". Don't ask what it's about!Another bank holiday which seems a little excessive but I'm sure many people are glad of an extra day off work. We went into town again to see if the sales had started but it was the same as yesterday. Archie had some vouchers burning a hole in his pocket so he bought The Sims for the PS2 and I got Medal of Honour2 as I enjoyed the first one so much.

Monday, December 27, 2004

Now he's in the living room watching Rolf Harris paint a nice Chritsmas Card using custard and a big bag of glitter.Xmas has been and gone and we wonder what all the fuss is about. Lots of money spent and lots of food consumed and wrapping paper ceremoniously burned in the mexican stove in the back garden. Archie is tuning in his new telescope to look at the chimney pots and Hazel is still under the duvet, curled in a ball.This collage has been travelling over 6 years and just arrived home on Xmas eve, remarkably unscathed.It snowed on xmas day much to Archie's delight and he was able to make two snowmen in Granma's garden. Can you smell carrots?It didn't last very long and turned into slush and icy puddles the next morning. Ever hopeful Archie took his sledge to the local hilly park but the remaining snow was hardly enough to roll a snowball.

Thursday, December 23, 2004

All a bit hectic here so not much time to blog. Thanks to all the nice people who have supported flobberlob since it started in particular Sebastian and I Like and all the nice people at Blogger, Flickr and the Collage Kids. It's time to go and trap some sprouts and track down some nuts for the xmas dinner.

Monday, December 20, 2004

This is a collage made very quickly for the Frickr folk as they like to stick comments and notes on things. Ones with lots of heads seem very popular so I concocted this xmas quiz to see if they know who all the celebs are. You can have a go too if you like.The house warming party over at Wincham was enjoyable up to a point. I had a nagging headache so wasn't really into socialising.I would have loved to have drunk some beer or wine but restricted to orange juice due to paracetamol. Lots of nice food served up later on and I was starving having gone without lunch and by the time the food was ready it was about 3 o'clock!Thankfully our neighbours from over the road came along later despite the chicken pox their little girl was recovering from. Archie had Thomas to play with for a while. We didn't have anything in common with anybody there really and we felt rather excluded from this well-heeled Cheshire set. Nevermind, it made a change to see how the other half live. A lovely barn conversion which was very spacious and made our house seem very tiny in comparison.Today we braved the freezing weather to do some more xmas shopping. Got some Dennis the Menace annuals for Archie in a charity shop but he had them already. They are in better nick than the ones he has , so he will use them as "swaps". Also got some plastic boxes which are in stock again, for the last of the mail art archive. Hazel and Archie put the tree up and I helped hang some decorations. Hazel baked a cake for her Mum's birthday and Archie decorarted it with Smarties.

Friday, December 17, 2004

A collage made for the Collage Kids Frickr group based on a Beatles song and you had to guess which one. Its easy and I've given you a clue already.A headache all morning and what with the drizzle I've stayed in to blog and write a few last minute cards. Just see the poor postman almost doubled up with the weight of xmas post so don't expect he'll deliver ours until about tea time!Also added to photo archive from the old albums that are crumbling away. They were crumbling in the 60's when I started them so now just held together with a single thread and some old peeling sellotape. The rabbit is typing a letter or rather the noise she makes when drinking water from the container wired to her hutch.Clickerty-clickwerty-clickwerty!Hazels last day at college so she'll be happier with the thought of a few weeks break from it all. She said some of her students read this so better be careful what I say!Archie is home early with his mate James who is a non-stop giggler.They had a carol service this morning and played on the computers.James' Mum who works at the chemist will pick him up at three.The wind is whistling down the chimney and the rain is lashing the window again.

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

A very pleasant day wandering the highways and byways of Cheshire with old chum Tony who I hadn't seen for a while. It was his birthday so for a treat we went to Nantwich( about 10 miles away as the dodo flies) to walk its quaint cobbled streets in search of gifts of one sort or another. Lots of charity shops but no bargains did we find. Tony showed me this wonderful old shop which had a mini-museum and a cafe at the back. It has a website here.It was an amzing place full of old advertising signs and shop items from the 20's.30's and 40's. We sat and had a coffee and soaked up the surroundings. Hazel and Archie must come here as they would love it!Then we drove over to some antique barns near Stapley Water Gardens past some very beautiful countryside and many winding lanes. A bit expensive but did find a couple of old 60's Lion and Victor annuals for Archie which seemed more reasonably priced.

Monday, December 13, 2004

A fragment of sound from this old 78 souvenir from the top of the Empire State Building can be found at my yahoo group Boot Sale Sounds. It sounds terrible, I warn you now!A pretty terrible day all round being the 13th ofcourse which are usually pretty unlucky for me. I went shopping to get some last minute gifts but ended up buying myself records from a charity shop. They look better than they sound. Find them at Flickr.Hazel had her root canal work done so not so lucky for her either! She survived it but took some pain killers and went to bed for an hour or so. She described in loving detail the instruments of torture ( a small bottle brush apparently?) and the anguish she felt as she felt them revolving inside her tooth root! Ouch! Thank goodness my appointemnt isn't for another 5 months!

Sunday, December 12, 2004

This collage was rather rushed due to Crimble and card making and sending and shopping etc. It's another for the Collage Kids group on Flickr and for this weeks theme of "Time".A nice drive out to Tatton Park this morning to visit the farm which we'd not done before. Santa was there, somewhere at the end of a big queue of crying infants so we avoided that bit! The old farm house had been turned into a mini-museum with rooms decorated and furnished in 1930's style. The lady who was born in the house was making toast downstairs on an old coal fire banked up really high with glowing coke. She was telling the assembled throng about her childhood and how she became a secretary and not worked on the farm atall. The only photo she had of her mother, who died when she was three, was upstairs in a big oval frame above the fire-place. When a man cheekily grabbed some buttered toast which was meant for the children she told him off in no uncertain terms! Another who foolishly told his family in a loud voice that this was the home of a "poor family" got a withering look and told " I used to live here and it wasn't a poor family!" He tried to make ammends by saying what he really meant was that it was very old. He just dug himself into a deeper hole and eventually slunk out. Another man amusingly said "Heat up that toasting fork and I'll go and stick it in him!" A small girl in someones arms said "In his bottom!" Oh how we laughed! Even the lady with the toast had to smile at that one.The farm also had a piggery with many piglets squeaking and snuffling in some rather wiffy sties. Also an enormous sow sat on her bottom and was munching rather noisily at some chewy hay. She looked rather like an automata made of yellowish sacking material with a big clunky motor inside! Archie fed some goats with some food her bought at the farm shop. His hand was covered in goat drool so he had to go and wash it off. Yuk!There was also a pottery, a carpenter and a smithy and tractor rides I think but they didn't start until the afternoon. We were hungry so wended our way home via the playground where Archie had a quick go of some swings and monkey climbing bars.

Thursday, December 09, 2004

Todays mail came around 1pm as I was washing up the lunch things. Not a huge ammount but a very welcome postcard from Frips that originated with me and i sent to Ed Giecek and now its back again aftera round trip of several thousand miles from here to the U.S.A. and then to Belgium and back to me. I just saw it on Frips fine blog and i expect Ed has it on his too?!Thats four L&H cards back from various journeys so far. I must send some more out. I have a whole postcard book full of them.
A quiet day scanning ephemera for the Frickr group of the same name. Found four "Lucky bags" that fit the bill perfectly. We had lots but foolishly left the sticky sweet in some of them and they turned to gunk with the passage of time!
Just discovered this place that turns your blogs into books! You can find it here.

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

Another day that flew by and one wonder where the time went. I finished off a collaborative collage and posted it back to Swapatorium in time for Xmas. The post orifice was full up and lots of people decided to get parcels sent to relatives in Australia and Canada etc. Then to the pet shop to get some straw for the rabbit and the newsagents for the Radio Times. Home again to hoover and put some washing in the machine. Clean out the rabbit. Wrapped a few presents. Took some photos for my blog and Flickr including the ellusive "Lady In The Bath" and some messy shots of my messy workspace. Found this childrens colouring book in a box of mail. Not sure of the date- 60's I would guess? Just a little garage band tune byQuestion Mark & The Mysterions courtesy of the Necrography and K.D.Opdello for the link.Only up for a short time.

Here's the "Lady In The Bath" puzzle. It hasa magnet inside so to put her in the bath without her jumping out you have to tap the bath on the table so the magnet inside the bath slides down a bit and then the lady is happy to go in the bath. More clever toys and their mechanisms here.

Sunday, December 05, 2004

Two boot sales today though rather sparse and tending towards the xmas market/bazaar end of things. The first was at the Witton Albion ground and the regulars were there with the same stuff they bought last time but with wrapping paper and old tree ornaments etc. Did find a couple of videos of films we'd missed at the cinema including "The Missing" with Tommy Lee Jones and "Starsky & Hutch" with Ben Stiller. Also some secret things for Crimble presents which I had to hide away from Hazel and Archie. Archie found some old Beanos and Dandys from the 70's, so he was happy as Larry!The next was pretty much the same over at Winnington Youth Club. Some more secrets and a record by Bob Williamson, a northern comic. If it's any good I'll put a couple of tracks on the Boot Sale group.Hazel's just gone to take Audrey to one or both.Archie is playing with his Lego. The sun is trying to get through the mist. Made this collage for the Collage Kids group at Flickr. Can you guess who the usual suspects are? The theme this week was "Crime Scene" suggested by Big Al.I was looking for my Boys Book Of Scotland Yard for ages but couldn't find it so found a policeman in an old Ronnie Barker's Gentleman's Relish book of naughty postcards. This afternoon went for a walk over at Carey Park as it was a nice bright day. Got lost coming back from the top of the hill overlooking the steaming factory in the distance, took a left instaed of a right and ened up on a path full of dog walkers by a babbling brook. It was a pleasant detour but we had to ask someone eventually if the path led to Northwich and he put us right. So we went right round in a big circle it seems and ended up back where we stated some two hours later. Hazel took lots of photos of distant steamy factory buildings and Archie with steam coming out of the top of his head etc. so expect to see them on Flickr soon.

Saturday, December 04, 2004

New uploads of Peter Sellers and others at Boot Sale Sounds yahoo group which can be found in the links section. I just found this 1958 LP "The Best of Sellers" in a charity shop in town.£1.49.This 10" disc on Parlophone was produced by George Martin I think though it doesn't mention him on the sleeve.

Friday, December 03, 2004

Here's your chance to take part in a mail art project by sending something appropriate to Ed who will put it on the blog he's just started. You can find it hereI went into town again for a nice healthy walk and got the Animation book which was even cheaper than I imagined which was good.Also found Archie a video and a phone book(for writing phone numbers in) as the old one has fallen to bits. Hazel just phoned to say her lecture went o.k. despite the shakes and her tooth hasn't troubled her today.Nice post from Roger- the pass along book that we are doing with Sylvia. It's looking good.Also another Xmas card - this time from Auntie Olwen. Must get Archie to design our card before it's too late and we have to use a generic one from the Pound Shop!

Thursday, December 02, 2004

Sung to the tune of jingle bells. This was an echo from my childhood but not sure how or why my Mum found this so funny. Darby day is getting closer and so more Crimble shopping today which uncovered some trifles and gew-gaws. Saw a wonderful Taschen book called Animation Now which was over 500 pages and full of colour plates and DVD slipped into the back cover. I might go back and get it for Archie as an extra present mainly because I want to look through it again. Borrowed a 4 DVD set from the library of Live Aid which we watched a bit of today. Queen were very good and also enjoyed Dire Straits but most was awful 80's pop fodder I'd forgotten about like Howard Jones and Adam Ant etc.The hairdressers was empty so popped in for my festive yuletide trim. The lady barber was very chatty and was very keen to know what art I did and what I did all day. I tried to make it sound exciting and busy but don't think I succeeded!

Wednesday, December 01, 2004

This time I hope this blog works as I spent ages typing up this day and the whole lot vanished in to the ether! Or wherever the lost blogs go?Went to Manchester again this time to see Archie's animation at the under 18's film fest. at the Cornerhouse cinema. It was a cold morning with a beautiful sunrise that Hazel managed to snap with her trusty digital camera through the grimey train window. I read some of Andrew Collins "Where Did It All Go Right?" which is good (see links for his website). Had breakfast at the college and then went to the Cornerhouse to see the short films with a packed cinema full of High School kids who had obviously come straight from school in a coach.Very noisy lot!Most of the films were mercifully short and some were great like the plasticine animations of werewolfs in wythenshawe and the magician producing rabbits from trousers etc. Archie's looked great on the big screen and it really made him realise the potential I think as when he got home he started right into making another flash animation about a cave man thinking about what the wheel (he invented in the last one) could be used for. Squashing rabbits! Afterwards we had a walk into the centre of town. Bought some Dutch pancakes with sickly chocolate sauce at the Continental market by the town hall and had a ride in the big observation wheel. Then to the URBIS museum of city life which is very impressive biulding like a big wedge of stilton. Unfortunately not much, besides the funicular railway, inside to justify the huge expense of keeping this thing running. Lots of videos and "inter-active" buttons to press but with little sense of discovery or fun attached. Afterwards dragged our weary carcases to the station via the pound shop where I found some great old cult movies- three per disc! the original "Little Shop of Horrors", which is awful ( the Frank Oz version is much better)and Herk Harvey's "Carnival of Souls".

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Flobberlob

A kind of diary, a log, a ramble, nothing to do with the Flowerpot Men. My life as an artist, a collagist, a rubber stamper, a networker, a dad , a letter writer and a postcard maker. Observations about this and that in no particular order.

About Me

I grew up in the home counties around London during the 50's and 60's. Went to several art schools including Southend ,Chelsea and Manchester. Trained as a painter and printmaker but now mostly using collage. Collect novelty songs and old mail art amongst other things too numerous to mention.